Joe Kennedy, JFK, RFK, J. Edgar Hoover, and the Mob: The origin of "The Kennedy Curse"?
Is "The Kennedy Curse" an urban legend or the real deal?
Here’s the poop: In the 1920s, Joseph Kennedy, the patriarch of the political clan, made his fortune during Prohibition as a bootlegger partnering with the likes of Frank Costello and Diamond Joe Esposito. Kennedy kept these alliances secret from his sons, who were being groomed for political leadership. Some believe this cost him big-time. Political pundits, such as Burton Hersh and Seymour Hersh (no relation?), have blamed the origin of "The Kennedy Curse" on Joseph P. Kennedy’s shady dealings.
Sam Giancana?
Additional poop: For the 1960 presidential election, the aforementioned pundits state that Joseph Kennedy called on Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana, a former ally from his bootlegging days, to help rig the state's presidential vote count; Illinois being a crucial political swing state. Joe knew that winning Illinois would’ve been essential to win the election for his son John.
Attorney General Bobby Kennedy
Again, JFK and his brother Bobby, his Attorney General, were unaware of their father’s backroom deals with organized crime. As a result, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy didn't hesitate in pressuring FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover to go after the crime syndicate with unprecedented zeal.
J. Edgar Hoover
A social gambler himself, Hoover had long believed that there was no organized crime and resisted Kennedy’s pressure. Unlike young Kennedy, the FBI chief believed that going after the “communist menace” was the Bureau’s top priority. This dissension between these two powerful men ultimately resulted in RFK, fully supported by his brother the President, greatly reducing Hoover’s authority and placing him at his beck and call. This new Kennedy Administration agenda against the Mob didn’t set well with J. Edgar or the gangsters.
As a result of the organized crime crackdown, convictions against organized crime figures went up by 800% during RFK’s tenure in office.
Joe Kennedy
In 1961, Joseph P. Kennedy, the family patriarch, suffered a debilitating stroke that made his movements and conversation extremely difficult. As a result, Kennedy’s behind-the-scenes financial and political maneuvering came to an abrupt end. Many believe that the Kennedy Curse began in full force at the end of the old man’s power; i.e., the assassinations of JFK and RFK along with Teddy and Chappaquiddick.
Although severely disabled, Joseph P. Kennedy lived on until 1969, fully aware of the tragic fate of his sons, including Chappaquiddick.
Debunking “The Kennedy Curse”?
Then again, there have been pundits on the other side of the discussion, claiming that Joe Kennedy’s bootlegging enterprise had never been proven beyond occasional “imports” of Irish whiskey for his own private parties. And, as far as the public record has been concerned, the substantial part of old man Kennedy’s fortune was made through barely legal stock market manipulations.
Also, some have claimed that the number of tragedies occurring to the Kennedy family are not unusual when compared to other families with a similar (large) number of family members.
